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Irish Times
6 days ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Health staff found ‘ingratiating themselves financially' will be referred to gardaí, HSE chief says
If people working in the public health system are 'ingratiating themselves financially' they will be referred to An Garda Síochána , the HSE 's chief executive has said. Bernard Gloster said on Sunday that nobody had told him about an internal investigation at Children's Health Ireland (CHI) which allegedly found a consultant abused the State's waiting system while also delaying operations for sick children up to three years. The Sunday Times reported that according to the unpublished findings, the consultant breached HSE guidelines by referring patients he was seeing in his public practice to weekend clinics he was operating separately. Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1's This Week programme, Mr Gloster said what was being reported was 'absolutely shocking'. READ MORE 'I'm even more shocked because nobody has told me about it and, in light of everything we were doing in the last number of months for CHI, I'm just quite shocked.' Mr Gloster said he had spoken to the CHI chief executive Lucy Nugent and has asked for a copy of the report, which 'save for highly personal information . . . should be published in the public interest'. 'I have made it clear that I reserve my position based on what I see in that report as to whether or not further questions arise, and if any question arises, I assure you if anything connected with, or near connected with alleged people ingratiating themselves financially in the public health system, the first step I'll be taking is to refer that matter to the gardaí,' he said. Separately, Mr Gloster said Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill was considering 'all of the issues' associated with the delivery and governance of children's healthcare in the State. He said the option of subsuming CHI back into the HSE 'has to be' one of the moves considered. CHI was established in January 2019 as a new entity to govern and deliver acute paediatric services and currently operates hospitals in Crumlin, Temple Street and Tallaght. An independent audit published this week found that almost 500 children who underwent hip operations in two hospitals should be recalled, as close to 70 per cent of the sample examined were not necessary . One child who received surgery for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), despite not meeting the criteria for the procedure, experienced an 'adverse outcome' from the operation, the audit said. [ 'A national scandal': Answers demanded after audit highlights over 100 unnecessary hip surgeries on children Opens in new window ] CHI and the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh (NOHC) last July announced a joint clinical audit to examine a random and anonymised sample of 147 DDH surgeries performed between 2021 and 2023. The move was prompted following a protected disclosure, which raised concerns that CHI at Crumlin and Temple Street and NOHC may have used differing criteria to determine whether the surgery was required. Mr Gloster said there was no doubt the scale of variance the audit found was 'of significant concern'. He said there would be further inquiries which would be beneficial to children and their families. He said he wanted to apologise to parents because of the concern they have due to 'something that's happening in the health service'. In relation to the surgeons involved, Mr Gloster said he was not the employer as CHI and Cappagh hospital are 'separate institutions under separate statute'. However, he said the 'question of accountability cannot be taken off the table'. 'The audit itself would not be one which would ground or be grounding evidence to conclude that question, it is only after further inquiry that that could be fully assessed or not,' he said. 'So to be fair to individuals, we do have to be careful not to be precipitous in that regard. But it is a question that I want to be clear, that based on the level of extreme variation here, it is a question that has to be kept on the table until such time as we have a full view.'
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
ADHD referrals for over-25s in Coventry and Warwickshire paused
An NHS trust has temporarily stopped accepting referrals for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessments for adults over 25, in an effort to reduce waiting lists for and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust said any new referrals for adults over the age of 25 would be paused temporarily from 21 than 7,500 children and young people were currently waiting for an ADHD assessment in the region, the local Integrated Care Board (ICB) said.A spokesperson added it "must act urgently" to reduce the backlog and the decision would allow it to redirect resources towards reducing the waiting list for children. System 'not working' Under the temporary policy, only new referrals for ADHD diagnostics assessments for people under 25 would be commissioned, Coventry and Warwickshire ICB trust has also confirmed the decision would not affect referrals for any adults who had already been referred and those on the current waiting list would remain."We are urgently considering the implications of this ICB emergency policy for our services and will share further information in due course," a spokesperson to a BBC investigation, the trust had 1,675 adults on the waiting list for adult ADHD services in March 2024, with 120 assessments carried out in of ADHD can include a difficulty concentrating or focusing, hyperactivity and a statement announcing the policy, the ICB said its current ADHD assessment system was "not working effectively" with more than 10-year waiting times for some children."This is unacceptable and clearly signals the need for a different approach," it added it was committed to undertaking a "radical development and transformation" of ADHD services and the decision would free up clinical time and release funding."However, our clinical experts advise that the impact of an ADHD diagnosis is significantly more profound for children," a spokesperson said."For many children, a diagnosis can be life-changing, helping them stay in school, develop social skills, succeed in exams, and learn how to function and thrive in society."The interim policy would remain in place until a new ADHD pathway which was fit for purpose and supported all residents was implemented, it said. Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Children are facing 'catastrophic' waits for community health care after the backlog surged to almost 315,000
Children are facing 'catastrophic' waits for community health care after the backlog surged to almost 315,000, doctors warn. Long waits can cause 'irreparable harm' and have 'lifelong impacts', according to the new report by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. It said the waiting list for children in need for care in the community is growing, with hold-ups facing kids to delay the age at which they start school, hampering their ability to socialise or play sport or harming their mental health. The authors called into question Government plans to shift care from hospitals into the community, saying that without 'urgent action' community waiting lists for children will 'continue to grow'. Community paediatricians care for children with a number of conditions including those with developmental disorders and disabilities; those with complex health needs, including end of life care; children who have neurodevelopmental disorders including autism and ADHD. They also see children where there are safeguarding concerns, who are 'looked after' or being adopted. The latest figures show that in March 2025 there were 314,432 children and young people waiting for community health services. This is compared to 272,625 in March 2024. The RCPCH said that children and young people are waiting significantly longer than adults to access community health services, with 22 per cent of those currently waiting for a year or more. Among the children currently on waiting lists, 67,725 had been waiting more than a year, and 15,240 children – or 5 per cent of all children on community waiting lists – had been waiting for more than two years. This compares to 1.3 per cent of adults are waiting for a year for community health services. And while 86 per cent of adults are seen within 18 weeks, only 50 per cent of children and young people are seen within the same timeframe. 'Average waiting times for community child health services are now some of the longest of any part of the health system,', the RCPCH report says. It describes the current state of children's community services is 'unsustainable', and adds; 'Children and young people (CYP) are waiting longer than adults to access healthcare in England. 'Paediatric services are not recovering at the same rates as adult services, and there is a growing gap between demand and capacity.' Addressing ministerial plans to bring care closer to home, the authors said: 'We urgently need transformational change in children's community services. 'The Government should urgently address the current long waiting times in community child health services as a core part of recovery plans, before progress can be made on a wider shift of care into the community.' Dr Ronny Cheung, officer for health services at the RCPCH, said: 'Lengthy waits are unacceptable for any patient but for children and young people the waits can be catastrophic, as many treatments need to be given by a specific age or developmental stage. 'Waits such as these can result in delayed starts to school, limitations on socialising, play sports, increased risk of poor mental health, behavioural problems and distress for both the child and their families. 'We want the NHS's 10-year plan to succeed, but we cannot shift care into the community while children are currently being left behind. 'Without urgent action, these waiting lists will continue to grow — and children will keep missing out on the vital care they need.' The report makes a series of recommendations, including: a waiting time target so children are all seen within a maximum of 18 weeks; work to address the 'investment gap' between children and adult services and efforts to improve the children's community health workforce. Dr Douglas Simkiss, chair of the British Association for Community Child Health, said: 'Community children's services are a vital but often overlooked component of the health care system. 'Implementing the recommendations in this report will have a tremendous positive impact for the children and families that rely on these services and the staff who work in them.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Too many children are not getting the care they need when they need it. 'This Government is committed to shifting care out of hospital and into the community: this is vital for children and their families, but it will take time. 'We are working to transform mental health services for children – hiring more staff and delivering more talking therapies – and putting mental health support in every school. 'We know more must be done and we are working with integrated care boards to understand the extent of the problem in each region so we can reduce waits for community health services.'
BreakingNews.ie
20-05-2025
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Tuesday's front pages: What the papers say
Tuesday's front pages focus on a range of stories from disability assessment waiting list set to reach 25,000 to the Government being accused of trying to conceal data on housing delays. The Irish Times report m ore than two dozen bodies providing specialist disability services to tens of thousands of people have warned there is 'an extreme risk' to their ability to expand services or, in many cases, sustain existing operations. The Irish Examiner lead with the Government being accused of burying statistics for housing starts due to a slowdown in getting projects approved and funded. Advertisement The Echo lead with a call for more people to live in Cork city centre in apartments and above-the-shop accommodation. The front page of the Irish Independent on Tuesday — Irish Independent (@Independent_ie) May 19, 2025 Today's front page of The Irish Sun — The Irish Sun (@IrishSunOnline) May 20, 2025 Morning, readers. Here's the front page of today's Belfast Telegraph. Stick with us for all your breaking news. — Belfast Telegraph (@BelTel) May 20, 2025
BreakingNews.ie
19-05-2025
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
Teenager to stage protest as needs-assessment waiting lists projected to soar
A teenage campaigner has urged the Government to 'stop breaking the law', as the waiting list for assessments of need is projected to soar to almost 25,000 by the end of the year. An assessment of need (AON) is carried out to identify if a child, children or young person has a disability, and is designed to identify their health needs as well as service requirements. Advertisement Once the HSE receives an application, there is a legal requirement for the AON to be completed within six months. The total number of applications overdue for completion at the end of March 2025 stood at 15,296 – an 8 per cent rise on the end of 2024. Throughout the first quarter of this year, just 7 per cent of assessments were completed within the timeframes set out in the Disability Act 2005 and accompanying regulations. In response to a parliamentary question from Labour TD Alan Kelly, the HSE said that demand for AONs continues to outstrip system capacity, despite increases in activity and commissions from private assessors. Advertisement The HSE anticipates that by the end of the year there could be as many as 24,796 AONs due for completion. Cara Darmody, 14, is staging a 50-hour protest outside Leinster House from 10am on Tuesday, against the backlog in the system. The disability rights campaigner will be supported by what she calls her 'coalition of the willing', made up of a combined opposition of Sinn Féin, Labour, Social Democrats, People Before Profit-Solidarity, Independent Ireland, Aontú and others. Cara, from Ardfinnan in Co Tipperary, said the Disability Act has been 'systemically broken' for almost a decade. Advertisement 'It is a national disgrace and an international embarrassment in how we treat children in Ireland with autism or intellectual disabilities. It must end – right here, right now.' Cara was initially motivated to pursue her advocacy because her two brothers, Neil, 12, and John, eight, have autism and severe/profound intellectual disabilities. She said they were 'both failed dramatically by the state' in relation to the assessments and services that they received. 'Every single day in our house is a struggle, and my mam and dad often go days without getting any sleep whatsoever.' Advertisement However, she stressed that her advocacy is focused on the the national picture rather than solely on the experiences of her brothers. 'There are thousands of children rotting on waiting lists and thousands of families who are struggling and too scared to stand up to the Government.' Speaking to the PA news agency, Cara said: 'The Government is breaking the law on the assessments-of-need issue by not assessing 93 per cent of children within the six months of their application. 'It is disgraceful and they are smashing the law.' Advertisement Cara has met three Taoisigh, Micheál Martin, Leo Varadkar and Simon Harris, about her campaign. Despite calling for 'dramatic and drastic emergency action' for two years, she said her request to ultimately fix the issue has gone unheard. Cara Darmody with Simon Harris (Mark Darmody/PA) Cara added: 'I've requested so many meetings with politicians and all that, and they all tell me the same thing – it is all talk and no action. 'While it's not my responsibility, I'm going to do everything I can to try and solve this issue.' She said she was credited by Mr Harris who, while Taoiseach, announced millions of euro in Government funding towards 'Cara's Fund' to deal with AON backlogs. She said: 'I hope to achieve more funding through this protest to help thousands and thousands more children to get an assessment of need.' She added: 'If the Government think I'm going away any time soon, they are 100 per cent wrong, because I am going to keep fighting for those who can't fight for themselves.' The second-year student will also be spending some of her time studying for her summer exams next week. Also speaking to PA, Cara's father, Mark Darmody, said he was 'extremely proud' of his daughter's work for affected families across the country. 'We just support her as best as we can, and we've put in a huge plan to make sure she's protected. 'But her story is going to resonate in a really big way.' He said the projections for AONs to the end of the year should be a 'cry for help', and indicate that the Government has 'lost control' of the matter. 'The Titanic is going down, there's no other way you can read that. 'How many children before the Government says this is an emergency, a national crisis?' Cara met Minister for Children and Disability Norma Foley on Friday, and has recently asked a number of questions in letters to the Taoiseach and Tanaiste. She wants the Cabinet to declare the matter a 'national emergency for children', activating an emergency mindset to implement a timeline for when AONs will be completed within the appropriate period. She believes a taskforce should be established to identify and remove possible obstacles for recruitment, as well as any barriers to required law changes. She also wants Cara's Fund to be given additional funding and for the National Treatment Purchase Fund to be used for waiting lists. Cara has also asked to address the Cabinet subcommittee on disability directly.
